D&D General If they thought they could get away with it...

[J.Quondam]

There's no way to answer this poll accurately or that it's representative of people I've actually played with.

On the other hand, this is just a forum survey, not a scientific poll for a research project. I assume it's being asked just because a fellow poster is vaguely curious, not because they're trying to delve some deep truth about D&D demographics for publication in an academic journal.

It's funny thing I've noticed around here especially last few years. Rather than just engaging a poll in good faith, there are an astonishing number of posters who'd rather burn their time picking it apart and arguing how pointless it is, or how biased it is, or how they absolutely cannot ever at all answer because reasons.

Criminy, people. It's just for fun, on a forum about a game. Stop taking things so seriously.

 

[Clint_L]

I don't think it is picking the poll apart to preface your answer with "this is a really broad question so any answer will be highly context dependent." I suspect the first thought most of us had on reading it was "How do I answer this?" Then we chose whether or not to take the time to engage as best we could. In my case, I wanted to support the OP and so I gave the most honest answer I could, but felt I had to clarify that this was still a generalization.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

On the other hand, this is just a forum survey, not a scientific poll for a research project. I assume it's being asked just because a fellow poster is vaguely curious, not because they're trying to delve some deep truth about D&D demographics for publication in an academic journal.

It's funny thing I've noticed around here especially last few years. Rather than just engaging a poll in good faith, there are an astonishing number of posters who'd rather burn their time picking it apart and arguing how pointless it is, or how biased it is, or how they absolutely cannot ever at all answer because reasons.

Criminy, people. It's just for fun, on a forum about a game. Stop taking things so seriously.

When I was a kid I missed a joke on the bozo the clown show. It got funnier when I was reminded of it as a big kid.

Bozo would talk to little kids in the audience and engage them in conversation.

“So do you ride the bus OR buy your lunch?” Of course there were variations of this—-two non exclusionary possibilities.

Kids would stammer because they both rode the bus AND bought their lunch. The big joke.

In good faith I answered that my friends don’t cheat but I would not put it past randos. I think it is ok to qualify answers if this is really a conversation.

 

[iserith]

I expect players to push the rules to their absolute limit to seek advantage, as that's a normal behavior in a game in my view, but I believe most people are honest (more so than we give them credit for), so I would not expect them to cheat.

 

[not-so-newguy]

Definitely would not cheat, might exploit.

I based my vote on our current group. We're all a little older and understand that cheating will ruin any game. Most of the others don't understand the rules well enough to exploit, but it does happen. TBH I would be the one most likely to exploit the rules since I understand them better than anybody else at the table.

In the past, I've played with some extreme Rules Lawyers who would argue nearly everything. Bleh. I'd rather do something else with my free time than argue about rules over an Elf game for hours.

 

[Oofta]

On the other hand, this is just a forum survey, not a scientific poll for a research project. I assume it's being asked just because a fellow poster is vaguely curious, not because they're trying to delve some deep truth about D&D demographics for publication in an academic journal.

It's funny thing I've noticed around here especially last few years. Rather than just engaging a poll in good faith, there are an astonishing number of posters who'd rather burn their time picking it apart and arguing how pointless it is, or how biased it is, or how they absolutely cannot ever at all answer because reasons.

Criminy, people. It's just for fun, on a forum about a game. Stop taking things so seriously.

Based on the OP's comments in other threads, I am probably assuming a motivation for the poll.

But that doesn't mean that if you're going to post a survey like this, it can't be constructed better. Because to me, it's not would some players cheat, it's what percentage? What percentage are going to use exploits? Maybe that's 0% for some people, maybe it's 50% or higher. That to me would be an interesting poll. If you play for long enough and with enough people, you're going to see a very wide variety of behaviors. That's why I don't find the wording of this poll useful

 

[Clint_L]

Oh yeah, I didn't answer "exploit." Again, super subjective because what I consider an "exploit" might just be "using the rules to their maximum efficiency" from another perspective. I don't waste much time arguing in these situations; I just make a ruling and move on with the game. This is a like it or lump it situation, IMO.

 

[aco175]

I see I voted with the majority in that players do not cheat, but may exploit loopholes. I see it a bit like Magic cards. Some cards are ok, but then a new series comes out and and now one of the ok cards works great with something in the new series. Keep multiplying this and some cards are either super cool, or broken depending on how one looks at it.

I kind of see things as fine the first time and then it starts to look like exploiting. Some of the feat and spell combos begin to feel overpowered to what the norm should be. Kind of Tipper Gore and pornography.

 

[Tonguez]

Exploit the rules? Is that optimising? Id say exploiting the rules is legit player strategy. Im narrative first so often the rules exploit me

 

[bloodtide]

Roughly 50% of all players cheat, and roughly 50% will try to exploit...though it's not the same for both groups as many players that would exploit, would "never" cheat".

Basically, I have found humanity in general to be: Always does the right thing always no matter what(25%), Always does the wrong thing no matter what (25%) and sits in the middle, mostly doing what is right with maybe an exploit and maybe maybe a cheat if they get a great opportunity(50%). So that is 75% you need to keep an eye on: this is why rules and laws even exist.

A vast majority of people only interact with others for one base reason: An Ego Boost. Most people lead dull lives and are 'put down' by nearly everything....they would privately think to themselves that they are a 'looser'. They are desperate for an ego boost: for someone to say how great and wonderful they are or anything nice. But they are unwilling to put in any work to get the praise. They love games as games can "prove" how great they are and give a huge ego boost.

Except when they play a game.....it does not just automataclly happen. Lots of times the game is too hard for them, or too complex for them, or even just beyond their understanding or abilities...or worse things. Not that they would ever admit that. The problem is, they don't get to feel great and don't get the ego boost if they just "play the game".

This leaves only one option for them: cheat. And you see it in nearly every game. Maybe it starts with a 'ok' exploit, but chances are to goes right to cheating.